Torus shapes for torque converters

Abstract

A torque converter in which the inner turbine output diameter or the inner pump input diameter is smaller than the inner stator passage diameter.

1. A torque converter for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing and a pump located therein, a turbine, a stator, and a bridging clutch, wherein the pump, the turbine and the stator together form a torus, wherein both an inner turbine output diameter and an inner pump input diameter are smaller than an inner stator passage diameter and wherein a difference between an outer stator passage diameter and the inner stator passage diameter is at least 20 percent of an outer diameter for the turbine. 
     
     
       2. The torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the inner turbine output diameter and the inner pump input diameter are smaller than the inner stator passage diameter. 
     
     
       3. The torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein a torus shape is sheared such that imagined axial sections through the torus shape, staffing from the inner stator passage diameter, are shifted increasingly axially in one direction as an effective radius increases. 
     
     
       4. The torque converter of  claim 3 , wherein the shearing is linear such that over a running variable of effective radius a quotient of the axial shift to a difference in the effective radius is constant. 
     
     
       5. The torque converter of  claim 3 , wherein the torus shape is sheared in the direction of the turbine. 
     
     
       6. The torque converter of  claim 3 , wherein the torus shape is sheared in the direction of the pump. 
     
     
       7. The torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the stator comprises respective pluralities of output openings and input openings and wherein an output height at the plurality of output openings of the stator is greater than the input height at the plurality of input openings of the stator. 
     
     
       8. The torque converter of  claim 7 , wherein a diameter of an inner, ring-shaped boundary surface at the plurality of output openings of the stator is smaller than a diameter of the inner ring-shaped boundary surface at the plurality of input opening of the stator. 
     
     
       9. The torque converter of  claim 7 , wherein a diameter of an outer, ring-shaped boundary surface at the plurality of output openings of the stator is larger than a diameter of the outer ring-shaped boundary surface at the plurality of input opening of the stator. 
     
     
       10. The torque converter of  claim 9 , wherein the stator further comprises a plurality of vanes and wherein the outer ring-shaped boundary surface is designed as a separate ring slidable onto an outer diameter of the plurality of vanes. 
     
     
       11. The torque converter of  claim 10 , wherein the separate ring is fixed on the plurality of vanes by one of a step, a groove, and staking. 
     
     
       12. The torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a plurality of output openings, the turbine comprises a plurality of input openings, and the plurality of output openings of the pump form a cone-shaped figure such that an outer rim of the pump extends further toward the turbine than an inner diameter of the pump, and so that the plurality of input openings of the turbine are essentially parallel to the plurality of output openings of the pump, where a diameter for a portion of the housing radially aligned with a transition area from the pump to the turbine is uniform. 
     
     
       13. The torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the inner stator passage diameter is 0.5 to 0.7 times an outer diameter of the pump. 
     
     
       14. The torque converter of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one torsional vibration damper.